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For the Romans did in these cases what all wise princes should do, who consider not only present but also future discords and diligently guard against them; for being foreseen they can easily be remedied, but if one waits till they are at hand, the medicine is no longer in time as the malady has become incurable; it happening with this as with those hectic fevers, as doctors say, which at their beginning are easy to cure but difficult to recognise, but in course of time when they have not at first been recognised and treated, become easy to recognise and difficult to cure.
IT is CUSTOMARY for those who wish to gain the f
ALL STATES and dominions which hold or have held
I WILL NOT here speak of republics, having alrea
BUT IT is in the new monarchy that difficulties
CONSIDERING THE DIFFICULTIES there are in holdin
WHEN THOSE STATES which have been acquired are a
LET NO ONE MARVEL if in speaking of new dominion
THOSE, WHO RISE from private citizens to be prin
BUT AS THERE are still two ways of becoming prin
BUT WE NOW COME to the case where a citizen beco
IN EXAMINING the character of these principaliti
IT NOW ONLY REMAINS t0'us to
HAVING NOW DISCUSSED FULLY the qualities of thes
WHEN ONE ASKS a powerful neighbour to come to ai
A PRINCE SHOULD THEREFORE have no other aim or t
IT NOW REMAINS to be seen what are the methods a
BEGINNING NOW with the first qualities above nam
PROCEEDING to the other qualities before named,
How LAUDABLE IT Is for a prince to keep good fai
BUT AS I HAVE NOW SPOKEN of the most important o
SOME PRINCES, in order to hold their possessions
NOTHING CAUSES a prince to be so much esteemed a
THE CHOICE of a prinee’s ministers is a matter o
I MUST NOT OMIT an important subject, and mentio
THE BEFORE-MENTIONED THINGS, if prudently observ
IT IS NOT UNKNOWN to me how many have been and a
HAVING NOW CONSIDERED all the things we have spo